A Light Carol: a Kim Possible Winter's Tale
by Lady Rhetorica
Summary: Kim better watch out, she better not cry, she better not pout, Yori’s telling her why: Twin crises are coming to town. Will Kim and Ron survive so they can spend a 1st Christmas & Hanukkah together as a couple? Maybe...with a little unexpected help.
1. Prologue: A Night Visitor

**A LIGHT CAROL: A KIM POSSIBLE WINTER'S TALE  
**

**PART ONE**

**CHAPTER ONE**  
"**PROLOGUE—A NIGHT VISITOR"**

Kim woke suddenly, her heart pounding and hair standing on end. Ordinarily, outfighting half a dozen henchmen gave her an adrenaline rush, but being caught off her guard in the privacy of her own bedroom was a very different thing. A shadow seemed to float across the room towards her. As she tensed and then relaxed her muscles, calculating the best angle of attack, she heard her name spoken softly, "Possible San, it is me, Yori."

"Yori!" Kim fell back on her pillow, both relieved and peeved. She turned on her lamp. "Couldn't this wait until Ron arrives in the morning? And please call me Kim."

"I am sorry to have startled you, Kim, but what I must say is for you alone." Yori knelt beside the nightstand; she stared intently at the prom picture of Kim in her burned dress, holding hands with Ron in his powder blue tuxedo.

"OK, Yori, spill," said Kim.

"Sensei senses great trials awaiting you and Stoppable San."

"So not the drama," said Kim, still miffed. "That's pretty much what we do on a weekly basis, remember?"

"Your paths," Yori continued undeterred, "will part from each other. Yours will lead you to confront fears that blind your inner sight. You must conquer them in order to bring your path back into harmony with Stoppable San's."

"What are you talking about?" asked Kim.

"I can only say that you must trust yourself and Stoppable San," said Yori.

This made no sense to Kim. "What about Ron?" She wanted to know why Yori didn't visit Ron as well, but then decided this strikingly beautiful ninja shouldn't drop in on her boyfriend unannounced.

"Stoppable San must also confront and conquer fears that blind him from understanding the full potential of his inner strength."

"Just what exactly is it that you and your Sensei see in Ron?" Kim asked.

"_You_ must ask this of me, Possible San?"

Kim heard an edge of criticism in Yori's voice. "Ron has been my best friend since we were little kids—I know underneath he's brave and loyal. He's also funny and creative, and…I think I love him."

"We honor our ancestors. I am descended from a great sorceress and shaman named Himiko, as is Hannah," Yori began to explain.

"OK. So how does Ron fit in with your, uh, thing with the ancestors?" Kim wondered.

"Stoppable San's ancestors are very important; they are part of who he is. Do you know the story of the Maccabees, who are honored in the winter festival Stoppable San calls Hanukkah? About twenty-two centuries ago, about the same time in history as Himiko, an evil king threatened to destroy the Jewish people in Palestine. A family of great warriors led by a priest named Mattathias and his son, Judah Maccabee, revolted and saved their people. Their blood runs in the family of Stoppable San. He will defend those he loves with courage, strength, and ingenuity. The Mystical Monkey Spirit recognizes that which is already in him and complements it, like a sword and sheath."

Kim was stunned. "_Ron_? _My_ Ron?"

"Yes, Possible San, _your_ Ron is also a great warrior, just like his best friend, as you say in your American style understatement."

The alarm buzzed. Kim reached to turn it off; when she turned around again, Yori had disappeared. How does she do that? It'd be nice if Ron could master _that_ particular ninja skill on their missions.


	2. New Year's Day

**CHAPTER TWO**  
"**NEW YEAR'S DAY"**

It was 2:00 and time for sixth period science at Middleton High School. The door opened; there was a collective groan from the 25 seniors seated in five parallel rows as Mr. Barkin walked in, rolling an ancient projector into the room. "Listen up, people. Ms. Turnstile dropped her engagement ring in the piranha tank and ignored the warning label to not thrash about when she started looking for it. That's all you need to know. So today, you'll watch one of the classic scientific audio-visual extravaganzas: 'The Life Cycle of the Venus' Flytrap.' You have a question, Stoppable?"

"Mr. Barkin, what is that thing?" Ron asked.

"This is a vintage 1959 film strip projector. They just don't make 'em like these babies anymore, built like a Sherman tank. What now, Stoppable?"

"Uh, we're supposed to study astronomy."

"What's your point? Now unless there are any more questions—hands on the top of the desk, Stoppable."

A Ben Steinish narrator began the exposition of the Venus' Flytrap: "_There are approximately 600 different species of carnivorous plants_." Beep. Barkin hand-turned the filmstrip to the next image.

"KP," Ron whispered, "are you still awake?"

"Shush, I'm doing my calculus homework."

_"The Dionaea Muscipula, more popularly known as the Venus' Flytrap, is indigenous to the swampy bogs along the coasts of North and South Carolina_." Beep.

Ron scribbled a note, _Hey GF,_ _got any plans this Friday night_?, scrunched it into a wadded ball, and thumb-flicked it over his shoulder.

_"The leaves of the Venus' Flytrap are surrounded by small, stiff protrusions that look like fangs."_ Beep.

A few moments later, he felt a tug on the back of his hockey jersey and a wad of paper stuffed down his back. He whispered out the side of his mouth, "feeling frisky, are we?" He nonchalantly reached down the back of his jersey and heard a snort.

"Stoppable, you got a problem?" snarled Barkin from the front of the room.

"Uh, no, Mr. Barkin. Just an itch." Ron quietly unfolded the note and read, _How about a little tongue wrestling during the slow parts of the Ninja Princess Journals opening at the Mall? Over._ That wasn't quite what he had in mind, but he liked how his girlfriend was thinking. He turned the paper over. _Of course, Kim will dismember you first, leaving me with no date. XXX & OOO, Monique. PS: with your aim, it's a good thing you're not the quarterback anymore_. Ron's cheeks blended with his dark red hockey shirt.

_"These protrusions are very sensitive, and when disturbed by an unwary insect, they signal the leaves to snap together, trapping the unfortunate victim_." Beep.

He turned around and looked at Kim and Monique in the two desks directly behind him, studiously scribbling in their notebooks. Monique slowly and seductively licked her lips, while Kim, with a perfect poker face, stared at the filmstrip with only the slightest trace of a smirk. A minute later, he felt another wadded note down his back: _Can I come along, too? Want to see NPJ. Will save dismemberment for later—unless you have alternative plans, minus Monique. Love, KP_.

_"Digestive juices from the plant dissolve the soft, inner parts of the insect, leaving the exoskeleton behind_." Beep. Several students uttered "ewww" and "gross."

"Sick and wrong," Ron thought, and not just about the poor fly, for which he suddenly felt sympathy. He was saved by the familiar _deet deet DE deet_ emitted from Kim's wrist communicator. The dazed heads of several students suddenly jerked out of their near stupor. Barkin rolled his eyes and snapped, "Possible, haven't I told you to put that thing on vibrate during school hours? Take it outside. You, too, Stoppable."

"Sorry, Mr. Barkin." They jogged down the hallway back to Kim's locker. The smiling chubby face of Wade Load sipping a grape soda greeted them. "Go Wade."

"Hey Kim, hey Ron. Hope I didn't interrupt something important."

"Only a potential homicide," said Ron.

"Ron's just afraid of a little digestive juice," said Kim. She scanned the hall for any sign of teachers or hall monitors, and surprised her BFBF with a quick kiss. Wade averted his eyes—he still wasn't used to witnessing snog attacks, even between his two close friends. "What's the sitch?" Kim asked.

"It's your old friend, Dr. Cyrus Bortel. You received an odd, anonymous hit on your website. Seems Bortel has been working on something called a Fear Incapacitator. I'm not sure what it does yet, but apparently Dementor wants it. You've been requested to remove it from Bortel's lab and take it to Buster's Odds & Ends Gift Shop for safe keeping." Buster's was located at the far end of a strip mall lined by shops selling things like kitchen cutlery, luggage, and ski paraphernalia. Buster's Odds n' Ends specialized in unusual items such as frozen haggis treats, rattlesnake bobble-heads, spare Yugo carburetor parts, etc.

"My weirder alert is going off, like déjà vu weird. Can you find Drakken's whereabouts, Wade? He made fools out of us before in a sitch like this," said Kim. "Where's Bortel now, and why can't he handle this?"

"Good questions, Kim. Bortel is supposedly at a time distorter convention. If Dementor wants this Fear Incapacitator, it must be something dangerous. As you know, Bortel's something of a mercenary mad scientist. But if you don't think the mission is critical, you can go back to class while I track down Drakken," said Wade.

Kim and Ron looked at each other—anything's worth a break from Barkin's Venus' Flytrap filmstrip. "We'll take the mission," they said together. "Transport?" Kim asked.

"I've got a bush pilot landing on the track field in five minutes. Good luck."

* * *

"Thanks for dropping us off, Mr. Cidermeister," yelled Kim. 

"My pleasure, Ms. Possible. It's the least I can do after you saved our family farm."

"Herding a flock of angora goats into hot air balloons moments before a volcanic mudslide, no big. Ready to jump, Ron?"

"Parachute, check. Naked mole rat in right pocket, check. Vocal chords warmed up for loud scream, check. Yep, I'm ready."

* * *

"Wade, we're in. What's this Fear Incapacitator thing look like?" asked Kim. 

"According to the website hit, the internal hardware is housed in something that looks like an old filmstrip projector, whatever that is. I had to ask my mom."

"We're on top of that one," said Ron. "Though I don't know why anyone needs to modify those things. They're already pretty good at inflicting permanent brain damage. Rufus, can you climb up and check those top shelves for us?" "Up, up and away," chattered Rufus.

They started inspecting the lower shelves and tables full of electronic gadgets. As they searched, Kim asked, "So are we still on for our triple date to see 'Ninja Princess Journals'?"

"Ha, good one, KP. Actually, Mom and Dad wanted me to invite you to our Rosh Hashanah service and to dinner afterwards." Ron had a you-don't-have-to-but-it'd-mean-a-lot-to-me look on his face.

"Oh," said Kim, "I'd love to." Ron smiled. Get-togethers with the Stoppables had become, somehow, more important lately. Of course, she had occasionally visited Temple Shalom with Ron since they were young kids. Now, though, it felt as if they were drawing her in, as if his parents believed their relationship had become permanent and they wanted to introduce her to what being part of Ron's family meant.

"Come over around 6:00. We'll ride with the 'rents."

"Found it!" they heard Rufus squeak excitedly from the topmost shelf. "Way to go, little buddy," said Ron.

"Now it's my turn," said Kim. She executed a series of cheerleader jumps and flips up to the metallic shelf with Rufus. There it was, with a carefully typed label attached, "Fear Incapacitator version 1.1." She pulled out several feet of wire extension from her utility belt and lowered the machine and Rufus down to Ron. She reversed her leaps down to the floor and contacted Wade. "Got it. Let's get out of here."

Minutes after Team Possible had left, Cyrus Bortel emerged from the shadowy recesses of his lab. He dialed a number on his cell phone. "It's done," he said. "You have the audio and visual tape of them breaking into your lab and removing the Fear Incapacitator?" asked the voice, masked by an obvious and pointless voice distorter, Bortel observed. "Yes, I am transmitting the video now." "Thank you, Dr. Bortel. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated." He thought without saying, "you're _not_ welcome." True to his Swiss origins, he prided himself on remaining neutral among the community of eccentric scientists. But this situation was very distasteful. He was no hero, but he did have a sentimental streak in him, and his coerced participation in harming this nice young couple displeased him considerably.

* * *

Kim arrived wearing her dark blue dress. Ron met her at the door and had just enough time for a quick kiss before a mini ninja hurricane jumped in her arms. "Kimmy, Kimmy! You pwetty!" 

"And so are you! What a pretty pink dress." She hooked her arm into Ron's and walked into the living room to meet Ron's parents.

"Kim, aren't you and Ronald the elegant couple," said Mrs. Stoppable as she gave Kim a hug. Mr. Stoppable came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishrag: "Ah, our guest of honor is here! Shall we go?" They piled into the Stoppable's Buick, Ron and Kim in the backseat and Hannah buckled in her car seat between them.

Kim thought about her own experiences in church. Her family was admittedly not as religiously devout as the Stoppable family. Partly that was a result from her experiences as a child. Her parents had visited a particular church in Middleton and put Kim in the pre-Kindergarten class. Kim drove the poor ladies teaching the five-year olds crazy with her questions about cavemen and dinosaurs during the lesson about Adam and Eve. When she started drawing an anatomically correct picture of Adam and Eve (she had seen her mother's medical books), her teachers escorted her to her mother and requested that Kim not return to the children's class. Dr. Anne Possible was livid.

They left and started attending, infrequently, the formal service of a local Methodist church, led by the Reverends Brent and his wife, Norma. Ron would sometimes go with her and ask questions she felt she should know how to answer, but couldn't.

The only mishap with Ron happened one Sunday after they had watched some old John Wayne westerns. On this particular Sunday, there was a communion service, and Rufus became very excited at the sight and smell of communion crackers. When he saw the small cups of grape juice, he squeaked loudly, "Drinks on the house, boys!" Pandemonium broke out. One of the ladies in the pew behind Ron saw Rufus and shrieked, "Rats!" Another lady fainted. Rufus scampered under the pews, looking for his rat cousins, spreading the panic further. Kim choked as she swallowed; grape juice started running out her nose. Jim and Tim yelled, "Gross, Kim's snorting juice." Pastor Norma tried to maintain some decorum and dignity while her husband started a contagious laugh that quickly spread over pews. After the congregation calmed down, Pastor Brent delivered an impromptu communion sermon titled, "Drinks On the House." Sunday dinner at the Possibles was tense for several minutes. Anne didn't say anything to Ron, just looked at him sternly. Rufus couldn't understand why everyone was upset at him, but he felt very apologetic, holding his little paws together. He said "Mybad," which launched an avalanche of giggles around the table. Rufus was convinced more than ever that with the exception of Ron, humans were very strange creatures. But he knew all had been forgiven when Mrs. Possible gave him an extra helping of mashed potatoes and gravy.

As they drove to Temple Shalom, Mr. Stoppable taught Kim how to say the traditional Rosh Hashanah greeting, "_L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu_ (May you be inscribed for a good year)," and the proper response"_Garn Lekha_ (Same to you)."

Kim held Ron's hand during the service while Rabbi Katz explained some of the symbols, such as the blowing of the ram's horn, the Shofar ("that's G-d's way of waking us up"). He said that Rosh Hashanah means the beginning of the Jewish New Year, that it was a celebration of creation and an opportunity for everyone to start anew. She started thinking of important decisions she would be facing in the coming months, unconsciously squeezing Ron's hand at times. She also understood now why Ron's parents asked her to participate; it was an important "first" for their son and his best friend-girlfriend.

After the service, they returned to the Stoppable's home, where Kim was treated to the Stoppable's traditional Rosh Hashanah meal of a honey wheat Challah loaf, apple kugel, carrots au gratin, grilled salmon, and carrot cake with ice cream for dessert. "That was wonderful. Thank you both so much for inviting me over," said Kim.

"It was our pleasure, dear," said Mrs. Stoppable. Hannah's head was wobbling to the side of her high chair, eyes half closed, and cheek encrusted with a glaze of cake and melted ice cream. Rufus was already snoozing on top of Hannah's shoulder, sporadically picking and munching clumps of crumbs out of her hair between snores. "We need to give Hannah a bath and put her to bed. I'm sure you and Ronald would like some time alone."

Kim and Ron sat down on the living room couch. "So, what did you think, KP?" Ron asked.

"Wait. You're forgetting something that your little sister interrupted, and I want it passionate and gentlemanly," Kim said. Ron drew her into a long embrace and a made-to-order kiss. He pulled away when he felt a wet eyelash brush his cheek. "Kim, what's wrong?"

"You know, if I can have one of those anytime I wanted, I might just keep you around." She smiled, wiping a tear from her face. "Nothing's wrong. It was a beautiful evening—I just wasn't expecting it. I'm a little sad and happy, all mixed together." She settled back into Ron's arms. "Ron, what would we do if we get married and have children someday? Part of me says to be like my parents—stand back and let our kids make up their own minds about religious matters when they're older. But I think you feel it's important for you to pass along your family's faith and traditions. So that's why I feel all mixed up, happy and sad. What do _you_ think?"

Ron said nothing for a few moments. He was still processing words like _married_ and _our kids_—she's obviously been thinking a lot about this. "Hmm. I think that when you drink orange juice with milk, it tastes totally gross, but when you figure out how to mix them the right way, you get one bondiggity smoothie."

"OK, even though I find you oddly romantic when you say such weird things, could you explain what that means, Sensei Boy?" said Kim.

"It means that you and I are very different. When people look at us, we don't make any sense to them, like orange juice and milk. But somehow we make things work; we always have. I think we can be true to ourselves and still figure out how to blend together and make something unique and wonderful. But you already know that, right? What's really bothering you, KP?"

"Rabbi Katz said that Rosh Hashanah is a beginning, a time when we can choose a course for ourselves that's good or bad. I feel like we have such important decisions facing us in the next several months that will affect the rest of our lives. And this sitch with Dr. Bortel, something about it feels very strange. I feel pulled in different directions by things I don't understand. Nothing's nice and simple anymore, Ron, and I don't know what to do, or what's going to happen to _us_."

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Kim. Especially when you start using words like _our_ _kids_."

"Is that something you want, Ron?"

"I don't know, Kim. But I agree—we need to start things right, especially if marriage and children are down the road. Just remember this." Ron took her hand and placed it over his heart. Kim stared into Ron's brown eyes like they were telescopes into her future. "No matter what happens_ out there_, you will always be _in here_."

"I love you, too, Ron Stoppable."


	3. Master Plans

**PART TWO**

**CHAPTER THREE**  
"**MASTER PLANS"**

Sheldon Director, alias Gemini, looked up at the wall-sized computer screen, admiring the topographical map locating the relative positions of a new command post and a secondary lair, both of which would be completed within a few more weeks.

"You see, Agent Epsilon, here is a great truth about the human species—they are forever stuck in the morality of teenagers. First, they resist anything you tell them to do for their own good. Second, they blame everyone but themselves for their own troubles and mistakes. Third, they are inherently lazy." He stroked the grotesquely oversized head of the chihuahua resting in the arms of Agent Epsilon, biting his knuckles. Agent Epsilon dared not object to being a human chew toy.

"Idiots like Drakken and Dementor always forget the first part in their global domination plans. By forcing people to submit to them with threats of violence, all they would ever accomplish is a global rebellion. They are actually very fortunate that my sister's minion, Kim Possible, keeps defeating them. Otherwise, they'd be bombed into oblivion by every angry military force around the world." The dog's sharp teeth punctured the fleshy end of Agent Epsilon's thumb; he stifled a whimper.

"The way towards global domination is not by threatening the masses, but by wooing them. First we artificially create and amplify their phobias and fears. Next we convince them that some poor scapegoat is responsible for the ridiculous messes they've gotten themselves into. We gain their trust that way. Then we play upon their laziness by telling them we have the means to solving all their problems; they won't have to do anything." The Chihuahua started to wiggle and growl. Agent Epsilon placed it on the floor; it peed on his boots.

"Finally, when we make our move for global domination, the rebellious ones will be too weak to do anything. The blamers will think we've done a good thing; we'll be their heroes. And the lazy will tell everyone there's nothing they could have done to stop us."

Agent Epsilon replied, "Master Gemini, does that mean we won't have weapons of mass destruction to intimidate and threaten?"

"Oh yes, we'll soon have a weapon that will make Drakken's Diablo robots look like Smarty Mart toys. But the secret is destroying minds, not buildings. And here's the best part: my fool of a sister is the one who funded it. All we have to do take the Fear Incapacitator from her. My little Pepe looks hungry, Agent Epsilon. Go fetch him some mole rat treats."

* * *

It was a sunny winter afternoon, and store owners were putting up Christmas sale posters and blaring holiday music. Kim and Ron had been summoned to the Global Justice headquarters, hidden beneath South Middleton Outlet Center. They were escorted by an orderly who spoke into the intercom, "9th floor." When the elevator lowered 100 feet, its doors opened onto a long, sterile hallway. The orderly showed an I.D. to the guard, who motioned them through the bio-scanner that confirmed their identities. The guard typed the appropriate code into the computer monitor at his desk, deactivating invisible laser beams protecting the entrance to the central hallway. When they reached the last office on the right, the orderly inserted her I.D. card into the code scanner. The door rescinded into the wall. 

"Thank you. That will be all," the orderly was told, who left the office and returned back to the Office of Covert Investigations on the fifth floor above. The head of Global Justice, Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Director put away a pair of classified security reports she had been reading, labeled "Kimberly Possible" and "Ronald Stoppable."

_Kimberly A. Possible. Age: 17. Activities: Honor roll student, head cheerleader, etc. at Middleton High School. IQ: 150. Psyche profile:_ _Introvert—adults often mistake for extroversion her single-minded drive for perfection and her supreme self-confidence, not surprising for a first-born child with her family genetics and extraordinary physical talents_. _Capable of pursuing and mastering any academic subject, but prefers courses dealing with politics and sociology. World-class martial arts expert by age 14_. _Summary Assessment: Kim Possible is a born leader. Despite what she may think of herself, she is definitely not "your basic average girl."_

Given the right direction, Ms. Possible could become a brilliant protégé…

_Ronald Stoppable. Age: 17. Activities: running back on football team. IQ: 125. Psyche profile. Extrovert. Increase in self-confidence a result of dating head cheerleader and setting the all-time Middleton single-game rushing record. Intuitive, sometimes displays genius level creativity, but not the kind that is apparent from standard I.Q. exams. See Appendix: R. Stoppable's defeat of swamp creature named Gill Moss at Camp Wannaweep._ _Spontaneous, lives in the moment. Should be tested for Attention Deficit Disorder_.

He has a knack for making things happen, the "Ron Factor." His attachment to Kim Possible inhibits his latent abilities. If we can get him out of her shadow and provide the right training, thought Dr. Director, he has the potential to be a brilliant tactical field officer…someone who can perhaps replace Agent Will Du.

Of course, most of Team Possible's success was due to their computer savant, Wade Load, hacking into GJ computer files. When Agent Will Du found out, he wanted GJ to launch an immediate assault on the Load house, arrest Load and his parents, and confiscate all his computers and inventions. Du was loyal to GJ to a fault, but that day he had come dangerously close to insubordination. Today Agent Will Du was the least of her worries. What concerned her more was news about her estranged twin brother, Sheldon.

"Thank you, Kim and Ron, for agreeing to meet with me. I have some important matters to discuss with you. You are familiar with Dr. Bortel's new Fear Incapacitator?" Dr. Director explained the general features of Bortel's latest invention. The Fear Incapacitator was originally intended for treating bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other neurological problems. By transmitting a low-pulse gamma ray at the brain's temporal lobe, it isolated and reduced identifiable irrational fears. Or it could do the opposite: increase levels of fear in individuals suffering from unsafe lack of inhibitions in potentially dangerous situations. If misused, the Fear Incapacitator reduced someone to a state of inert paranoia or turned a person into a frenzied berserker. In theory, someone could block the effects of the gamma ray, but doing so would take a superhuman mental effort. "I can't impress upon you enough how disastrous it would be if such a device fell into the wrong hands."

"Yes, so it should be locked away or destroyed," said Kim. "What does this have to do with us?" she asked.

Dr. Director said, "According to my sources, Gemini is planning to steal it. In other words, while we do not want to lose the Fear Incapacitator, it could be very tempting bait to capture one of the world's most dangerous international criminals."

"Like Kim already said," Ron pointed out, "what's that got to do with us?"

"I'm getting to that," said Dr. Director. "First, I believe you two are uniquely qualified to help capture Gemini, given your past experiences with super-villains. Second, it is my understanding that you two have been free-lancing for the past several years, emphasis on the word _free_. I would like to offer you two official careers that would allow you to continue similar save-the-world style missions, but with the official sanction and material resources of Global Justice. You want to study abroad, Kim? We can send you to the finest universities anywhere in the world."

"What's in it for you?" Kim asked.

"Allow me to be frank, Ms. Possible. We need someone like you, someone with your intelligence and skills who could step into our executive training program. Tell me, Kim, what's your impression of this organization?"

"Honest?" asked Kim.

"Brutally."

"Well, I'm impressed with the data GJ collects…"

"Tell your Mr. Load 'you're welcome.' But…"

"But, if Agent Will Du is any indication, you seem so intent—I'm sorry, I didn't mean _you _you…"

"That's all right, Kim. I'm the one ultimately responsible for Global Justice, so please be frank."

"You, uh, seem so intent on following certain procedures and on generating details for crime reports, that you miss or ignore the real bad guys. Like the time Dr. Drakken was zapping people with his gravatonic ray, and there was that incident with the killer super BeBe robots, and don't even get me started on Professor Dementor's obsessions with Pan Dimensional Vortex Inducers, and that was just our freshman year, then during our sophomore year…"

"OK, I get the picture," said Dr. Director. "That's precisely why we could use someone like you, Kim, as an official part of our team. Imagine what you could accomplish with GJ's resources behind you."

"What about me?" Ron wondered.

"We have been re-evaluating our Ron Factor study of a few years ago. The fact is, we believe that with the right training, you could quickly rise in our agent ranks to become a top field officer. Like Kim, we need someone with your knack for intuitive insights and resourcefulness."

Kim and Ron looked at each other, surprised and speechless. Ron thought to himself that Dr. Director's offer could be a great opportunity, an inside track to a real career that would skip the dreaded prospect of four (or more likely five or six) years of drudgery in college classrooms. And he liked the cool uniforms; they reminded him of the ones worn by the characters on his favorite SF show, "Space Commander." (He did like Kim's mission crop tops, though. Oh well, if sacrifices had to be made…)

Kim was not so ready to sign any dotted lines. "With all due respect, Dr. Director, I'd like to get back to the prior issue before the GJ job fair opened. If you already know Gemini will be making a play for this Fear Incapacitator, then why can't Global Justice deal with its own villains?"

"In answer to your question, Kim, first, besides your obvious qualifications, Gemini isn't expecting you. Second, doing this mission would go a long ways toward clearing your name and reputation."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kim asked.

Dr. Director pushed a yellow button on the desk console; a wall panel disappeared, revealing a large video screen. A security camera tape showed Kim and Ron breaking into Dr. Bortel's lab and taking the Fear Incapacitator. After a few seconds of blackout, the video resumed, darker and grainier, showing what appeared to be the two teens in their mission gear making an exchange with someone wearing a Worldwide Evil Empire uniform. Kim growled, her grip tightening on the chair arms. Ron's mouth opened in shock.

Dr. Director voice was calm yet stern. "This tape was sent to GJ. I'm sure you have a logical explanation, Kim, yet you must admit this evidence is incriminating. Fortunately, the device was intercepted and retrieved by Agent Du before it could be delivered to Gemini. Given your otherwise sterling reputation in the international crime fighting community, I can negate the impact of this tape in return for your willing cooperation with our organization."

"Dr. Director," said Ron, "could you give me and Kim a few minutes alone to talk about this?"

"Certainly, Ron. I'll be back in fifteen."

"That tape is so fake. This whole sitch stinks," Kim snarled. "Yeh, peeyuu," said Rufus.

"I agree, KP, which means we should seriously consider Dr. Director's offer. I mean, if she can clear our names… My parents would go nutzoid if they thought I was some kind of super-thief. Plus, with my grades, I can use all the help I can get for a real job after high school."

"Ron! Listen to me. We're being setup. Dr. Director's not doing us any favors. This is extortion, and we're not going along with it. As soon as we're back home…"

"But we need to talk this out _now_. Yeah, obviously we're being framed, probably by that Gemini guy or Dr. Drakken. Dr. Director can help us figure out who's trying to nail us. She's offering us both a sweet deal."

"No! My weirder has been on hyper alert all along. I want to get out of here and go over this whole sitch with Wade," Kim said.

"Excuse me," Ron said, his voicing gradually getting louder and higher pitched, "but we do live in a democracy. I think I've earned the right to have a say in what we do. Right, Rufus?" Rufus was used to his two humans having spats, but he could sense their tension getting higher than usual. His instincts sided with Kim, but his loyalty lay with Ron. He chirped a reluctant, "uh huh." "There, you're outvoted two to one."

"I'm the leader, remember? And naked mole rats don't get to vote. Don't be a stupid jerk over this," Kim said.

"Oh, man. You've got a serious royalty complex, _princess_. Remember the _top field officer_ part? Not sidekick…_princess_."

"Don't call me that, Ronald Stoppable. And I never said you were a sidekick, though you could use a few kicks right now upside your head."

When Dr. Director opened the door to her office, she stepped into the middle of a battle royal between the two teens. They quit as soon as they saw her, both red-faced. There was a moment of embarrassing silence.

Kim regained her composure first. "I respectfully decline your offer, Dr. Director. Are you coming, Ron?" Ron stared at her, and then turned to Dr. Director. "You were saying something about field officer training, ma'am?" Kim stormed out, shouldering Ron out of her way.


	4. The Shamash Candle

**CHAPTER FOUR**  
"**THE SHAMASH CANDLE"**

Ron had been appointed an ad hoc deputy field operative and told to take command of the mission to capture Gemini before he stole the Fear Incapacitator. "Me?" He had argued over doing this kind of thing for years with Kim, but now he discovered it was a relief to let her be in charge of their missions. Yes, Dr. Director had told him, she had complete confidence that he could do this. She added that Agent Will Du would provide backup. "I won't let you down, Dr. Director," said Ron.

Dr. Director asked him if he had any ideas concerning how to accomplish their mission. Ron thought back to when he defeated Gil the Swamp Creature, how he had tricked Gil into thinking he had lost, only to surprise Gil in his own lake. "Do we know anything about W.E.E. operations in Middleton?"

Agent Du stifled his annoyance at being placed under Ron's direction: "As a matter of fact, we know one of Gemini's agents has set up a communication post in an abandoned warehouse off Industrial Boulevard."

"That's so cliché," said Ron. "I mean, why don't the bad guys ever try places like the pizza parlor? No one would ever suspect."

Agent Du rolled his eyes. "Because, amateur, the Criminal Mind Handbook, page 93, paragraph 4, clearly stipulates that when available, criminal organizations are to use empty warehouses when establishing secondary command posts."

"I'm just saying…" Ron said. He noted Du's clenched jaw and decided to move on. "What if we leaked information that we were protecting the machine until, uh, a special Army research team came to pick it up, and, let's see, we'd be in another warehouse near W.E.E.'s warehouse, only when they arrive at our warehouse, we wouldn't be there."

"And where would we be?" asked Agent Du, barely concealing his sarcasm.

"We're going to be…in their warehouse, because they wouldn't be expecting us to ambush them in their secret hideout," Ron answered.

"Excellent," said Dr. Director. Will Du muttered something unintelligible. "Comments or questions, Agent Du?" snapped Dr. Director. It seemed clear she did not expect any. "Then you will arrange all the details and support for Ron's plan. Anything amiss happens, you will be held responsible. Understood?"

"Yes, Dr. Director, I understand," said Du._ I understand that you are handing over a critical assignment to a child celebrity and making me the potential scapegoat for when he screws up_.

* * *

The Middleton High fans were stunned; their Bulldogs lost the championship game in overtime, 28-31, despite the efforts of their star running back and team MVP, Ron Stoppable. In the waning seconds of the 4th quarter, the Bulldogs down 20-28, Ron zigged and zagged for a 95 yard touchdown run on a trick Statue of Liberty play he suggested to Coach Barkin, who thought, "What the heck—why not?" On the next play, Ron dove for the 2 point conversion…tie game. But in overtime, what should have been Ron's winning run to the end zone was called back when a referee whistled the Bulldogs for a penalty on the opposite side of the field. Then the tying field goal bounced off the goal post after the kicker slipped on some mud. 

Ron was determined to patch things up as soon as the game was over, but lost sight of Kim as the crowd surrounded him, pushing him towards the locker room like flotsam. Barkin patted him on his shoulder pads, told him he'd played a gutsy game, "like a real man," which was the highest praise a player could get from the coach. "Thanks, Mr. Barkin," Ron said, but his thoughts were on Kim. He had been a jerk the entire week before the championship game, staying away from her locker, pretending not to notice her in the hallway. He still didn't agree with her about the Global Justice issue, but seven days of self-induced lack of Kim Shine was eating away at him. He couldn't sleep. He was so distracted during practice that Barkin had threatened to bench him. He regained his focus during the game by pretending Drakken had tied her to the goalposts with a bomb set to blow up in 60 seconds unless he got to her first.

He showered and dressed quickly, then heard Barkin yell, "Stoppable, over here." Standing beside Barkin were Will Du and another Global Justice agent, both wearing black suits and dark sunglasses. "These two suits want to see you about something, and they tell me it can't wait till tomorrow," said Barkin, who clearly disliked Will Du. "You need some help, Stoppable?"

"I'm OK, Coach," said Ron, touched by Barkin's protectiveness.

"It's time," said Du. "We'll be waiting outside—unless you'd rather console your girlfriend."

_At least I've got one_, Ron hoped. He almost forgot something. "Um, Mr. Barkin, could you find Kim and give this to her?" He handed Barkin a small gift-wrapped box.

"Do I look like a marriage counselor, Stoppable?" Barkin growled. "All right, I guess you earned this one."

"Thanks, Coach."

An hour after Barkin arrived home, he pulled Ron's box out of his pocket. "Judas Priest, I forgot. I'll drop it off by Possible's place tomorrow morning." He still wondered why Stoppable left with those two goons by himself instead of with Possible. He made a mental note to ask her.

Two black unmarked Fords parked outside an abandoned warehouse in Middleton's industrial district. Ron and five other Global Justice agents wearing their dark blue field operation jumpsuits hid inside a large upstairs office. These uniforms would be so totally cool, Ron thought, if anyone could actually see them…and if Kim were here. "Nope, not going there," he said quietly to himself. Get your head in the game, she constantly reminded him; "time for the Rondo to step it up and fly solo." After an hour of squatting behind a large filing cabinet, Ron felt his legs cramping in the chill, stale air of the warehouse.

A few minutes after midnight, he saw the beam of a flashlight scan the door, then heard the heavy boot steps of several men walking into the office. One large black silhouette stood apart from the rest and said, "I am exceedingly disappointed in your intelligence report, Agent Epsilon. We waited all night at considerable risk of discovery, and yet no Fear Incapacitator. Do you know the price of such a failure, Agent Epsilon?"

"Gemini, I promise, our source was beyond question. There must have been a last minute change of plans," Epsilon whined.

Before Gemini could respond, Will Du yelled, "Freeze, you're under arrest." Chaos erupted. Global Justice agents fired taser watches at their W.E.E. counterparts, who countered with stun pellets. Those not writhing in pain or paralyzed leaped at each other. Ron froze momentarily, his heart pounding. He saw Gemini raise a metallic hand and aim a finger missile at Du.

"Du, move!" A high-pitched monkey-like howl rose above the mayhem. Ron snap kicked Gemini's hand upward, sending the small rocket into the ceiling where the blast created a cloud of plaster chunks and dust. Ron spun Gemini's head sideways with a sweeping roundhouse punch.

Agent Du aimed his taser watch at Gemini and yelled, "stand down!" Gemini wiped the dust off his tunic and raised his hands, followed by his henchmen.

"Booyah!" said Ron, pumping his fist. "The Rondo shoots and scores."

"We meet again, Mr. Stoppable. Your fighting skills are impressive indeed," said Gemini, rubbing his sore jaw. "However," he looked behind Ron, "Agent Delta, please disabuse Mr. Stoppable of his self-congratulations."

Ron turned to see Will Du aiming his taser watch at him. "What's going on," he asked just before electric volts ripped through his body.

Will Du kicked Ron's unconscious body over. "Amateur," he muttered.

"Well done, Agent Delta," said Gemini. He opened the top drawer of the filing cabinet and retrieved the Fear Incapacitator. "I believe we have our first volunteer to test our new toy."

* * *

Ron woke up, his body aching. His wrists and ankles were pinned inside steel manacles, chained to a cement wall. The room was a dank, concrete cube. Directly across from Ron on a metal table sat Dr. Bortel's Fear Incapacitator. He guessed he had been taken to some underground dungeon. 

He heard the click of a metal door; into the cell block walked Gemini and Will Du. "I trust your accommodations are satisfactory, Mr. Stoppable," said Gemini.

"I missed the breakfast buffet," said Ron. "When's check out?"

"Your humor, like your unusual monkey fu style, is admirable, though futile. We shall find out the strength of mind hiding behind such bravado."

"I'm not the one who should be hiding when my girlfriend shows up any minute now."

"I told you, Gemini, about the arrogance of these amateurs," said Will Du.

Ron's eyes glowered. "I knew you were a candidate for jerk of the year, but I didn't figure you for a double-cross chump."

Will Du replied, "That's Agent Delta to you, at least for the short remaining time of your pathetic existence. I'm not the traitor—Global Justice broke its commitment to hierarchy and correct procedures. Global Justice betrayed me."

"You see, Mr. Stoppable, the Worldwide Evil Empire is an unfortunate nomenclature. We are now the Worldwide Equality Empire. We are dedicated to establishing order and rules to ensure the equality of all who deserve our protection. But to achieve this goal, we must eliminate those like you and Ms. Possible who spread chaos wherever you go," said Gemini.

"Yeah, I can see how that would woo Traitor Du. So how does your filmstrip projector fit into your plans? You intend to bore everyone to death?" Ron asked.

"The Fear Incapacitator, to which you refer, is an integral part of my plans. If we redirect and increase people's fears of undesirables in order to foment disorder, and if we then promise protection from these undesirables, we can establish a safe and equal world order."

"Um, yeah, I read the CliffNotes of _Animal Farm_, too, in Mr. Barkin's English class. Let me guess, you and Agent Dupe here will be more equal than others in your new world order?"

"You're more intelligent than Agent Delta led me to believe. In any case, we need to test our machine before adapting it for global usage. Dr. Bortel's instructions include warnings, lest it inflict permanent physical trauma, but he had not experimented yet on anyone. You will be our first subject. We will start on level one for one hour, and increase the level and time each evening to determine when physical damage occurs and to what extent."

"Do you expect me to give up?" Ron asked.

"No, Mr. Stoppable, I expect you to die."

"Goldfinger, 1964. Like I was saying, you're not much on originality."

"Then perhaps you recall the following line, 'choose your next witticism carefully—it may be your last.' Please do the honors, Agent Delta." Gemini left the cell.

Will Du strapped Ron's head tightly in a metal brace. He adjusted the angle of the gamma ray beam toward Ron's forehead, set the power level to one and the time setting to sixty minutes. "According to Bortel, the average person can theoretically block the effects of the ray for about ten minutes at most. So I predict five minutes for you. You're Jewish, aren't you? Happy Hanukkah, amateur." He turned on the machine and left Ron alone in the dark. No one heard the screams.

* * *

Ron immediately felt a white hot pain behind his forehead. He experienced a waking nightmare of his father telling him that he had a 5 percent chance of surviving more missions with Kim, that there was a 95 percent chance of Kim getting seriously hurt because of Ron's screw-ups. Then his father turned into a giant chimpanzee and swallowed his sister Hannah in one bite. Desperately trying to block the agony, he recalled Will Du's last comment to him, _Happy Hanukkah_. Ron focused all his energy on visualizing a menorah, four candles on each side of the central candle, the shamash, which was standing slightly above the other candles. He pictured lighting the shamash, then lifting it out of its stand and lighting the first candle on the right. He concentrated on the candle light with everything within him, and silently whispered the following prayer over and over, "_Baruch atah Adonai, Eloeinu melech ha-olam_… (Praised are You, Lord our G-d, King of the Universe)." 

On the second night, the torture commenced again, one level stronger and 30 minutes longer. Again, blocking out the horrific images that threatened to overwhelm his psyche, Ron envisioned the shamash candle, this time lighting the candle to the left of the first one, and then the first candle. He repeated the prayer to himself, "_Baruch atah Adonai_…" The ordeal continued the third night, the fourth, the fifth… And each night Ron successfully barricaded his sanity with the ceremony and litany of the Lights.

Gemini stared at Ron hanging unconscious on the wall and shook his head in disbelief. He said to Agent Epsilon, "This Mr. Stoppable has been remarkably resistant. But in our new world order, such resistance cannot be tolerated. He will break tonight. Turn the Fear Incapacitator to full strength and leave it on. We'll dispose of the body in the morning."

On the eighth evening, the mind torture began once more. Ron visualized the menorah again, but this time he could not light the shamash candle. He was exhausted; the pain and despair were too much. "I can't do it. I'm sorry…Mom, Dad, Kim. I can't do it." He heard steps coming closer to the menorah.

"Hello, Ron. I'm here to help you." A vague shadow of a man appeared. He held a small flame cupped in his hand, and then carefully lit the shamash. "We can do this together." His hand picked up the candle, and Ron mentally guided it to each of the lower ones, starting on the far left, until all eight candles were lit.

"Who are you?"

"Sing with me."

"I can't…I'm so thirsty."

"Sing with your heart, Ron. You can do it with me. _Ma'oz Tzur Y'shu'ati_…(O mighty stronghold of my salvation). That was well done. You have a very nice voice."

"Who are you? How do you know those words?"

"I'm just a friend. Hanukkah is one of my favorite holidays, you know, always has been. I've loved that song ever since I was a young boy. The stuff nowadays this time of year, it's always about 'me,' 'me,' me.' I hear you're quite the songwriter, helping out your friend Kim with that Naked Mole Rat Rap." He smiled.

Ron's lips were cracked, barely moving. "Who are you, sir?" he croaked.

"I've been called lots of names, but you can call me Joshua, or Josh for short."

"Josh Mankey?"

"No," the voice chuckled softly, "not that Josh."

"Have we met? Have I seen you before?"

"Well, no, we've not been formally introduced. Have you seen me? There are lots of pictures and paintings, but they never get the eyebrows or the part in my hair right. There is one image of me, though...Do you remember seeing a little barn scene on Rabbi Katz's desk?"

"Yes," said Ron.

"Remember the little wooden baby in the animal feed box?"

"Vaguely."

"Well, there you go. I really like that one," the voice beamed. "Next time you see Rabbi Katz, ask him to show it to you."

"There won't be a next time, Sir. I can't…"

"Yes you can, Ron. Everything will be all right. You've been incredibly brave, and I'm very proud of you. I sent for help—just hold on a little longer."

"Josh, I don't understand. Please, don't leave…."

"Ron?…_Ronnie!_"


	5. Confrontation

**PART THREE**

**CHAPTER FIVE**  
"**CONFRONTATION"**

"Kimmie?" It was after midnight, and Anne Possible saw the light underneath Kim's bedroom door; she knocked gently before opening it. Kim lay on her bed, still wearing her cheerleader uniform, hugging her pandaroo and staring at the ceiling. The week following her fight with Ron in Dr. Director's office had been the worst week of her life—worse than being stuck to Bonnie, worse even than morphing into a giant monkey. Ron had avoided her each day. Now she wanted desperately to find him, but he had disappeared under the wave of Go City fans crashing onto the field and tearing down the goal posts. "Where's Ron? Your father gave you a curfew exemption tonight; shouldn't you two be out somewhere?" asked Anne. She sat down on the edge of the bed and saw the dried makeup streaks trailing down Kim's cheeks. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"A week ago we had a huge argument and he called me a princess and I said he was being a jerk and boy was I steamed but after a few days I wanted to make up but he wouldn't even look at me and I so wanted to hug him after the game he was so awesome Mom and tell him how proud I was but he disappeared into the locker room so I tried the communicator but he won't answer I was mad again but I miss him so much I'm not mad anymore and I'm scared that I just lost my best friend as well as my boy friend," Kim said in one breath.

"Kim," said Anne, stroking her daughter's flame-colored hair, "I'm sure Ron feels terrible, too."

"He just walked away. I lost him."

"I don't think you lost Ron." She pulled Kim up, gave her a tight hug, and handed her some folded flannel pajamas. "You look exhausted. Try to go to sleep, dear. We can talk about this in the morning."

"OK, Mom." She started untying her cheerleader shoes when she heard her communicator, _deet deet DE deet_. "Let it be Ron, please let it be Ron," she repeated to herself. Instead, a panicked image of Wade appeared on the screen.

"Go Wade. What's the sitch?"

"Kim, I'm really worried about Ron. If anything happens to his sensor implant, an alarm will go off on my computer. A few minutes ago, the alarm sounded and his vital signs disappeared."

"What are you saying?"

"It would take something traumatic to short out or destroy the sensor. There's no way I can track him, and he apparently doesn't have his communicator with him."

_Oh no, what __did you do, Ron?_ "Can you at least get a fix on his last location?" she asked.

"Wait a sec. Here it is: 900 Industrial Avenue. That's an old abandoned warehouse in the Middleton industrial district. Be careful, Kim."

"I will. Thanks, Wade." Kim quickly changed into her black turtleneck sweater and cargo pants. She jumped when she heard a tapping on her window. "Rufus! What are you doing here?"

"Ron," said Rufus, nervously rubbing his paws together. Partly from a shared mystical monkey power and partly from his rodent's heightened awareness, the little naked mole rat felt something was wrong, even before Ron's fight with Gemini. Rufus slipped out of Hannah's crib and ran several blocks to the nest of his human's mate.

Kim picked him up and said, "I could use some back up right now." Rufus nodded, "me, too." She stuffed him in her coat pocket and said, "OK, Rufus. Let's find Ron."

Several minutes later, Kim parked her Sloth in front of the building where Ron was abducted. She scanned for any heat signals within the building; six red dots appeared on the third floor. She aimed her grappling hook at a windowsill, pulled herself up to the broken window and climbed through. "I'm in, Wade," she whispered into her wrist communicator.

"According to the building schematics, Ron's sensor quit transmitting in the room down the hallway to your left," said Wade.

"You're on, Rufus," Kim said to the naked mole rat. Rufus saluted her, then scampered down the hall. He squeezed behind a guard at the door and peered into the room. Five humans were investigating the office, taking pictures, dusting for fingerprints. Pieces of broken glass were scattered around the room, and there were dust balls where bodies had been rolling on the floor. Rufus sniffed and picked out the lingering smell of Ron's sweat. He also recognized a voice and scent of one of the humans. He ran back to Kim.

"Rufus, has Ron been in there?" asked Kim.

"Uh huh. Uh huh." Rufus continued chattering nervously.

"Rufus, calm down. I don't understand naked mole rat like Ron. What is it?"

Rufus pantomimed a "G" and then a "J" over and over.

Kim thought for a moment. "G? J? GJ? GJ. Global Justice!"

"Yep!" Rufus chirped excitedly. Then he placed one tiny paw over his right eye and marched upright a few paces.

Kim mumbled to herself. "One eye. Global Justice…Dr. Director, is she here?" Rufus nodded. "Good little naked mole rat." She picked up Rufus and placed him on her shoulder. She took a deep breath to calm herself and walked down the hall, startling the guard as she emerged into the dim light.

"Halt, you're…" The guard's body crashed through the glass doorway. Dr. Director turned to see Kim poised in a kung fu battle stance. "Spill," ordered Kim. "I want to know what happened to Ron…_Now_!"

Dr. Director sighed. She knew this confrontation would come sooner or later. She had hoped later, but wasn't too surprised to see the teenage crime fighter show up minutes after the Global Justice forensics team. She motioned for them to pick the guard off the floor and leave the room. She sat down behind a steel table and asked Kim to take a seat on a metal folding chair. Kim remained standing and repeated her question, "Where's Ron?"

"We have reason to believe," Dr. Director began, "that Gemini retrieved the Fear Incapacitator and, once again, kidnapped Mr. Stoppable."

"How could you let this happen?" Kim took another deep breath to control her rising fear, anger, and disgust.

"We were betrayed by one of our own. It appears Agent Will Du has been a secret operative for the Worldwide Evil Empire for the past few months," said Dr. Director. "He was the one who enabled Gemini to capture Ron Stoppable."

Kim felt Betty Director wasn't sufficiently forthcoming. "Why involve Ron in this…mess?"

"Kim, you must understand how things work in the grownup world. Our funding was stupidly cut after the Diablo robot fiasco last May. You and even Ron Stoppable are international celebrities; if we could enlist you two in defeating the W.E.E., our public image would be restored, and our operating budget would be raised to a level allowing us to take the initiative in fighting international crime. Plus, the two of you, as I already explained, have talents we need and could further develop."

An epiphany flashed before Kim: "You! You tricked us into taking that Fear Incapacitator out of Dr. Bortel's Lab…You were the one who framed us…so you could manipulate us into joining Global Justice. You are _so_ going to pay," said Kim, clenching her fists. "Yeah," Rufus agreed, "big time."

"For the record, Ms. Possible, you have no proof of these allegations, and the evidence is still quite incriminating against you. Also, this is an internal security case of the highest priority; consider yourself officially notified to stay out of it. We will let you know if we find Mr. Stoppable. Understand?" said Dr. Director.

Kim growled, "Yeah, I hear you…officially."

"Off the record, your insight and intelligence never cease to impress me. Like I said, Kim, in the adult world, sometimes one must bend the rules for the greater good. You of all people should appreciate that."

"For the record, Dr. Director, I don't intentionally harm innocent people—I try to help them," replied Kim. She grabbed the edge of the steel table and effortlessly tossed it across the room. In a fraction of a second, she was behind the GJ director, twisting Betty Director's arm behind her back, straining the shoulder and elbow joints, and mashing her face against the cinderblock wall. "Off the record," Kim whispered into Betty Director's ear, "if something happens…if I lose Ron…your public image will be the least of your problems. Understand? Let's go, Rufus." Kim and Rufus left the director retching on the floor.

They spent the rest of the evening searching the blocks around the warehouse, but there was no trace of where Ron had been taken. Even Wade was stymied; he apologized throughout the night.

Kim finally arrived home the next morning, pulling into her driveway at the same time a silver metallic PT Cruiser parked in front of her parent's house. Mr. Barkin climbed out of his car, walked over to Kim, and said, "Possible, your boyfriend asked me to give this to you last night. My apologies. I didn't see you after the game, then I forgot about it." He then noticed Kim's dirty mission clothes and disheveled hair. "You two going solo now? What's the deal?" Kim told Barkin what she knew and what she had been doing throughout the night. He swore loudly, and then was suddenly embarrassed for losing his composure in front of a student. "Sorry about that, Possible. I let both of you down." He swore again. "I knew something didn't feel right when Stoppable left with those creeps in the funeral suits." He told her about his brief conversation with Ron in the locker room after the game, and apologized again before driving away.

She walked into the kitchen and sat down; Anne Possible was making breakfast. "Kim, did you…" Kim shook her head. "I'm so sorry, honey." Kim was tired of people telling her how sorry they were. Didn't they understand? She had let Ron down—she should be the one apologizing for abandoning her boyfriend. She was Kim Possible; she could do anything…anything but watch the back of her own best friend. "I think I'll take a shower and go to bed, Mom."

Kim slowly walked up the stairs and into her room. Her cheerleader uniform was still wadded up on the floor. She sat down on her bed and stared at Ron's box. There was a note attached: "KP, I've been such a jerk. Can you forgive me?" _Oh Ron, can you forgive _me? She would not open the box until she had found him.

When Dr. Possible checked on her daughter a few hours later, Kim was asleep, clutching her pandaroo and still wearing her mission clothes. She took the box out of Kim's hand and placed it on her nightstand. Anne read Ron's note and sighed. She gently pulled Kim's mission shoes off her feet and covered her with a blanket.

For the rest of the week, Kim spent every waking moment looking for clues to Ron's whereabouts. Wade worked frantically, trying every means he could think of to locate Ron, but to no avail. She maintained a brave front for Ron's parents when she shared with them the latest news. "He's probably all right, Mr. Stoppable. He's being used as bait, but I don't think these people would really hurt him," she said with little conviction. Curiously, it was Mr. Stoppable who seemed most inconsolable. He sat on the couch, weeping, muttering to himself over and over, "my son, my son." He held Kim's hands for a few moments so tightly that they hurt, as if she were the only thread of hope left to him and he couldn't bring himself to let go.

Mrs. Stoppable invited Kim into the kitchen for a cup of hot tea. Kim could tell the stain of tears had been wiped from Mrs. Stoppable's face recently, but she said to Kim with resolve, "In my heart, I've always known something like this could happen. My great-uncles died in the Warsaw ghetto uprising when the Nazis took over Poland, and one of my cousins was killed during the Six Day War." Ron had told Kim about his family's history, so she knew something about the losses in the Stoppable family. She could not think of anything to say to Mrs. Stoppable. She felt an overwhelming sadness as she realized Ron's parents missed him as much as she did. Mrs. Stoppable stared at Kim. "Find Ronald."

"I will," said Kim, but at the moment, she did not feel confident that she could.

After saying goodbye, Kim opened the door to leave when she felt a toddler slam into her legs and grip them tightly, shouting with a slight lisp, "Kimmy!"

Kim picked up Hannah. "You're getting so big!"

"Buddr's gone bye bye, Kimmy," Hannah said as if she were explaining to Kim why Ron wasn't there to greet his girlfriend.

"I know, Hannah," said Kim. She felt on the verge of losing it; the resolute strength she had shown to Ron's parents had vanished.

Hannah put her chubby hands on Kim's cheeks and said, "Buddr OK, but 'im need 'elp, Kimmy." How could she know? Kim wondered. She thought she saw a slight blue glow shimmer in Hannah's eyes. Was Yori right, that Hannah and Ron shared some connection between each other?

On her way home, Kim drove past Temple Shalom and saw the lights on in the building. She pulled into the parking lot, walked into the building, and found Rabbi Katz in his office, reading. "Kim, what a surprise to see you. Please sit down. What brings you to this part of town? Is there any news about Ronald?" Kim shook her head. She wanted to talk to someone, a distraction from the continual pressure, guilt, and helplessness she felt mounting higher day by day. She saw a small wooden barn-like scene on his desk, surrounded by small figures made from wooden blocks, as if a small child were meant to play with them. In fact, there were tooth marks along the frayed edges of the donkey.

"Is that what I think it is, Rabbi Katz?"

"Please call me David. Yes, it's what you think it is. It was given to me years ago by my good friend, your Reverend Brent. He hand-carve the pieces and gave them to me as a kind of joke. My children actually played with them, but once they started school, Miriam insisted I take the manger set to my office. Sometimes I take it out when I'm alone, reading or studying." Kim picked up what looked like a shepherd. The paint was somewhat faded; it looked very plain and simple, somehow much more fitting than the elaborate gold and china figurines arranged behind a glass case in her church's foyer.

"Rabbi Katz, David, um, what do you think of this Christmas stuff?"

Katz pulled on his beard, composing his thoughts. "Hmm, good question, one that I'm still trying to find an answer to. I suppose most of the commercial 'stuff' as you say is fairly harmless. My kids grew up watching Snowman Hank every December. I once suggested we put up a tree; Miriam threatened to bludgeon me with her Friday challah bread. But I'll tell you a secret. Her favorite movie is 'It's a Wonderful Life,' and once a year she shoos everyone out of the living room so she can watch it undisturbed."

Kim smiled. She picked up the manger piece of a baby and a blanket painted over an animal feed box. "What about this one?" she asked. The face was a simple circle of a light brown paint, with tiny shut eyelids, like a child's drawing.

"Ah, _him_. Now there's the troubling part of your question, isn't it? I've read through your church's New Testament many times."

Biting her lip, Kim cringed. She didn't want a theological debate and regretted bringing up Christmas. The rabbi could see there was much troubling her. He, of course, knew something about Ron's disappearance and felt a great compassion for this young woman, hiding her own fears, bearing the weight of everyone's expectations. Perhaps not unlike the Mary figure on his desk, thought David Katz.

"Kim, don't worry, I'm not going to burden you with two millennia of conflict between Christians and Jews. Getting back to _him_, did you know _he_ celebrated Hanukkah? Ironic, isn't it? One of the earliest references to Hanukkah in literature is there in your Christian Bible. Not an image anyone thinks about—the founder of Christianity celebrating Hanukkah, not Christmas."

She was surprised. Was he joking?

Katz's voice turned serious. "There are some troubling things that he says, or at least, as he's often interpreted as saying." He paused. "If what _he_ means by 'I am the way' is that he's the model for how one should relate to G-d, or how we should treat people who are sick and helpless, or how I should take care of my mother, well, I won't argue with that. Sounds like he grew up a good Jewish boy to me," said the rabbi with a wry smile.

Again, Kim didn't know what to say. She asked, "Do you, um, ever pray? And what for?"

"Certainly, but seldom _for _anything. Most of the time, I try to listen. Do you know what the word _ineffable_ means, Kim? It means there are things in this world, and I believe beyond this world, that are so wonderful, they can't be explained or fully understood with mere words. I wait for G-d to show me what's ineffable in every person, in everything both great and humble," Katz replied.

"Like in this manger scene?" Kim asked.

"Exactly."

"David, do you mind if I sit out there for a little while?"

"Not at all. I'll turn off the lights when I go home in about half an hour."

"Thanks," said Kim. She sat along one of the pews for several minutes. She stared at the lights glowing on the menorah, feeling very alone. "Please…" she started to say.

At that moment, she was startled by the _deet deet DE deet_ of her communicator. "Go Wade."

"Kim, I think we found him."

"Ron's implant is transmitting again?" Kim asked. "What are his vital signs?"

"That's the weird part. There _are_ no bio-signals—the transmitter is without a doubt fried, dead, kaput. But for a few minutes, I don't quite understand how, Ron's location on the computer map starting blinking again. He's in a mine near an old ghost town fifty miles from Middleton, called Hangman Gulch."

"Download the directions to the Sloth, please and thank you," said Kim.

"Done. One other thing, I made some upgrades to your battle suit that you might find useful. The material's more resistant to rips and to electrical shock. Also, it can go into stealth mode—we're talking ninja black, and it suppresses 99 percent of your body's heat signature."

"You rock, Wade."

"We'll see. Good luck."


	6. Rescue

**CHAPTER SIX**  
"**THE RESCUE"**

An hour and a half later, Kim parked the Sloth inside an old barn along the edge of Hangman Gulch. She turned the battle suit into stealth mode and pulled over the hood, which included built-in infrared night goggles. _Ron would love this; he'll think it's Spiderman III to the rescue_. She crept towards the entrance of the mine, and noticed what appeared to be a stainless steel elevator door guarded by a pair of henchmen in magenta uniforms. She could take them down, but it was essential that she not risk setting off any alarms. She needed a back door. "Wade, is there any other entrance?"

"There's an abandoned mine shaft about a quarter of a mile east—it might connect at some point. I honestly don't know."

Several minutes later, Kim found the entrance, boarded with faded "No Trespassing" and "Danger" signs. She felt a sense of urgency. What had Ron's dad said, that she had merely a skateboarder's chance of getting hurt on the street when on their missions? She hoped so.

Kim tore away the signs and walked into the mine tunnel that increasingly sloped downward into the heart of the mountain. After several minutes, the air seemed thinner, and her lungs started to burn. She paused, leaning against an old timber support beam. She felt it move slightly as a loose rock glanced off her shoulder. Her well-honed instincts said "move," and she jumped forward several feet just as the roof of the tunnel collapsed. A rotting beam pinned her foot to the ground, buried under dirt and rocks. She carefully dug her foot from beneath the board; she felt a stabbing pain in her ankle as she put weight on it. It was only a mild sprain, she convinced herself, something she was adept at ignoring. The way back to the entrance was completely blocked.

Kim continued her descent, limping further down the shaft until she came to a large hole about twice the diameter of a sewer drain cover. A ladder was attached to the side, but even with her goggles, she could not tell how far down the ladder went; it seemed to evaporate into the blackness. For a second, she thought of shooting her hair dryer grappler into the roof of the mine shaft and rappelling down. But realizing how fragile the tunnel was, she figured her chances were better with the ladder rather than risking another roof collapse. Fifty feet down the ladder, she felt the steps missing—they had rotted away. Gripping the sides of side rails with her hands and mission boots, she shimmied several yards. Then even the side rails were gone. She tried to feel for some kind of grip with her feet, when one of the rails snapped. Her hands slipped, and she fell about ten feet down. She softened the blow by rolling into a ball as she hit the floor of the mine, but the pain in her injured ankle left her gasping in the putrid air.

Kim landed in a lower mine shaft, this one more level. She limped along, barely caressing the walls of the mine. Her need to hurry mounted, but she had no idea how much time had passed. Eventually she saw another hole, but this time it appeared to be a ditch. The shaft floor had collapsed onto a rough rock base. The end of the ditch looked about twenty feet away. She carefully climbed down until her shoulder was even with the floor she had left. She heard something like a fingernail rubbing against canvas. No, not quite like canvas, she thought. The sound was more like one of Hannah's rattling toys…

She stood stone still, her heartbeat racing. As her eyes adjusted to the ditch, she saw shapes crawling among the side crevices and between the rocks on the ditch floor. Rattlesnakes—dozens of them scattered between Kim and the end of the ditch floor. As they sensed the presence of an intruder, the sound of their rattling grew louder. She had retrieved gadgets in rooms laced with lasers; this sitch was no different, Kim told herself. She would anticipate the snake lunges as if they were laser beams and execute a few jumps out of the way—just like cheerleader practice. No big.

Kim studied the terrain, took a deep breath, jumped forward into a handstand, cart-wheeled at a slight angle so her feet landed on a solid rock ledge, then pushed herself into a double flip, landing on the lip of the ditch's far edge. She heard several sets of venomous fangs lunging towards her, but her speed and heat concealing body suit confused the snakes. She stood up and said, "Sorry, but after a few years of fighting Shego, you guys are _so_ not the drama."

It was then that she noticed a writhing weight attached to her wrist. With her free hand she carefully pried the head of the rattlesnake off her arm and tossed it into the pit. She hoped Wade was right about her suit being puncture proof. A wave of nausea hit her, but she shook it off and reminded herself to keep her head in the game. Good thing Rufus didn't come along for this ride, Kim told herself. She ignored what she was doing to her ankle.

She walked further along the path, away from the snake pit. The floor of the mine seemed fairly level, though there were signs of small cave-ins, mounds of dirt and boulders strewn about. Gradually, however, the ground became rockier, like a dry streambed. Kim stumbled. Out of the darkness a rock wall blocked her path. It was a dead-end—except for a dank pool of water in front of her. Kim put her gloved hand into the water, releasing pungent toxic fumes. She was trapped, unless there was a tunnel of water underneath the rock wall in front of her.

Kim had no choice; she took a deep breath and plunged beneath the surface of the fetid pool. She swam deeper…and felt the water flow beneath the wall. She pulled herself along the rock floor, ignoring the growing pressure in her chest. For a brief moment, she panicked when her backpack snagged against a sharp edge of rock. Her backpack! How could she be so stupid? Quickly twisting it around, she unzipped one of the pockets and removed a small mouth snorkel with a miniature tube of oxygen, giving her five more minutes of life. She kept swimming and pulling herself through the watery tunnel.

When the oxygen tube was almost empty, Kim saw a tiny reflection of a red light above her. She swam up towards the light, breaking the surface of a large, underground lake. The air seemed fresher. At the far end of the lake she saw the end of another tunnel, with a glowing "no exit" sign along the wall. She silently swam across the lake and stepped out onto a rocky beach yards away from the sign. The tunnel was short; its opposite end opened onto a brightly lit hallway. There were arrows painted along the wall, pointing to the armory, Starbucks…and the Experimental Laboratory.

Kim removed the hood and felt her sour, sweaty hair stick to the back of her neck. She took a quick swig of water and started her search for Ron, following the directional arrows towards the lab. She turned a corner and saw a steel door with "laboratory" stenciled above it. Standing in front of the door was Will Du. His face was lined and strained, like someone who had experienced extreme pain, but he was smiling, baring his teeth…and his eyes, thought Kim, look crazed and feral. He pointed his watch at her and shot an electric taser cartridge at her, striking her shoulder. The battlesuit absorbed the shock—the only effect was her scalp tingling and her hair standing on end. She threw the cartridge to the floor. "I_ so_ don't have time for even more split ends…or for you."

The memory of the snake pit came to her—be the snake, she thought. Kim forced herself to be calm, and she started weaving her hands in a classic Kung Fu striking snake stance, a defensive position intended to render an opponent helpless quickly and quietly. She expected a conceited retort from Du; instead, he roared and ran straight towards her, arms flailing. She stood her ground and lashed a sharp chop breaking the bridge of his nose, causing his eyes to water in pain. He rushed her again; Kim ducked and delivered a hard punch into his groin and a follow-up knifelike strike into his solar plexus, taking away his breath. Du collapsed on the floor, unconscious, the blood from his nose matting his face.

Kim heard the gloved applause of a large, bearded man with an eye patch and metallic hand. "Congratulations, Ms. Possible. Agent Delta took out most of my henchmen, who are now recovering in the infirmary. You disabled him in less than a minute."

"What did you do to him?"

"In payment for his services to the Worldwide Equality Empire, Mr. Du became our second experiment for the Fear Incapacitator. Whereas your boyfriend is being reduced to a cowering, simpering bundle of phobias, all of Mr. Du's inhibitions and fears have been eliminated. In our testing cage, he was truly terrifying, impervious to pain and any perceived danger. I had hopes he would be the proto-type soldier of my future army. But it seems that when one loses all fears, in Agent Delta's case, he also lost all common sense and memories of his former fighting skills. Against a levelheaded master of martial arts, he succumbed rather easily. Most disappointing. Now I'll have to deal with you myself."

He aimed a finger missile at Kim. But in anticipation of Gemini's attack, Kim jumped up towards the overhead pipes running along the ceiling and forward flipped on top of them, like a gymnast on a high bar. The missile exploded against the back wall. "Impressive," said Gemini as he aimed his artificial hand towards Kim again, "but your cheerleader acrobatics have merely trapped you…"

While he was talking, Kim shot her grappling hook over one of the pipes at his metal appendage. The hook caught against the wrist. Kim jumped down to the floor Tarzan style, holding the other end of the cable, jerking his arm up. She quickly attached her end to a doorknob out of Gemini's reach, pulling him up on his toes. While Gemini was trying to untangle his metallic hand from the grappling hook, Kim punched the nerve center of his free shoulder, temporarily paralyzing that side of his body. While Gemini howled in pain, she took out her lipstick laser from her backpack and cauterized his metal finger joints. Taking a deep breath, Kim held her mascara compact knockout gas under Gemini's nose; in a few seconds, his head lolled to the side. "You talk too much. No wonder you and your sister annoy each other," she said.

She opened the laboratory door and saw Ron hanging on the wall, eyes closed, moaning. "Ron?…_Ronnie_!" A greenish light beam was on his forehead, emitted from the Fear Incapacitator. She ran to the machine and knocked it off the table. She pushed what seemed to be off buttons and unplugged it from its power supply. Then for good measure, she slammed it against the concrete wall, breaking it into a dozen pieces. She unlocked the manacles and lowered him to the floor in her iron-strong thin arms. He was severely dehydrated. Kim held a bottle of water against his mouth, and wiped his face with a damp disposable cloth. "You're OK now, Ron. I'm here. Let's go home."

"Kim, did you see him?" he rasped.

"Who, Ron? The cell door was locked. Only you and I are in here."

She pulled Ron into a sitting position. "Can you stand and walk? I don't think I can carry you."

Ron rubbed his wrists, raw and bleeding. "I'm all right, KP." Summoning his remaining energy, he stood up beside her, for the first time noticing her grimace as she leaned against the wall to keep her weight off her ankle. Damp grime and filth covered her from hair to foot. He gave her a weak hug and closed his eyes: "you're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen all week."

"Bet you say that to all your girlfriend rescuers. Let's go," said Kim.

He gripped her shoulder, while she held him around his waist. Together they limped past the unconscious bodies of Gemini and Will Du and found the elevator. "Kim, I…"

"I know. We'll talk later." She buried her face in his shoulder as the elevator rose to the surface.

Two surprised guards saw them as the elevator doors opened. When they started to advance, Ron said, "Dudes, we left your boss and Agent Doofus tied up and bleeding. Do we look like you really want to mess with us?"

"Yeah," Kim added, "don't you have some last minute Christmas shopping to finish?"

The guards looked at Kim and Ron, then at each other, and ran towards Hangman Gulch. Ron collapsed on the floor. She dragged him out of the elevator and clicked on her communicator: "Wade, we need some medical transport _now_."

Wade replied, "On the way, Kim. A MedCopter should be there soon; your mother is waiting for you at the Middleton Hospital emergency room."


	7. Giving of Gifts

**PART FOUR**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**  
"**GIVING OF GIFTS"**

"Mom! I want to see Ron." It was Sunday afternoon; snow had been steadily falling outside her bedroom window throughout the day.

"Be still, Kimberly Anne," ordered Dr. Anne Possible. Kim lay on her bed with her foot elevated and strapped in a plastic splint with ice packs wrapped around her ankle. Anne examined two tiny bruises on her daughter's wrist but thankfully no skin punctures. "Ron is resting, which is what you're supposed to be doing."

"Is he OK?" Kim asked.

"He'll be fine, Kim. The results of his CAT scan were normal, and we gave him I.V. fluids throughout night. But based on your description of this former agent Will Du, it's hard to believe Ron hasn't suffered some kind of neurological damage," said Dr. Anne Possible. In fact, she could find nothing wrong with him; if anything, the initial scan of his brain receptors indicated he was almost _too _healthy. "I want to keep him under surveillance, just to be on the safe side. And by the way, a damaged tracking microchip was removed from his shoulder. I don't suppose you know anything about that?"

"Um, well…wait, you mean he can't come here for Christmas tomorrow?" Ron had always been a part of her family's holiday celebrations. This year was supposed to be their first boyfriend-girlfriend Christmas together—with mistletoe and all. After what they'd been through, and with all the things she needed to say to him, Christmas without Ron was way beyond _so_ unfair.

Anne said, "I didn't say he has to be bedridden; he just needs periodic exams for the next few weeks. In fact, in a few minutes, I'm going back to the hospital to check on him. I'm sure his parents want him home, which is where I think he should be for the rest of the day. Don't worry about Christmas—you'll get your Ron Shine time. By the way, your father found out that flights into Middleton are being delayed, so Uncle Slim, Joss, and Nana won't arrive until the day after tomorrow."

"So why are you grinning, Mom?"

"We've been invited to spend Christmas with the Stoppables… Now quit bouncing up and down."

A few hours later, Kim heard her communicator's _deet deet DE deet_. "Hey Wade, what's the sitch?"

"Sorry to bother you, Kim. Thought you'd like a debrief. Global Justice found and arrested Gemini—looks like no more W.E.E. By the way, there's a downloaded confession and apology from Dr. Bortel on your website. You shouldn't have any more trouble with Dr. Betty Director. Dr. Bortel also said you did a thorough job of smashing his Fear Incapacitator, and he refuses to put it back together for GJ. He said something about his inventions causing enough trouble for such a nice young couple."

"Does Ron know yet?"

"Yeah, I talked to him a few minutes ago. I'm glad he's all right now. I'm really sorry for getting you guys into that mess."

"No big. It wasn't your fault."

"Well, in any case, I've been working on a more advanced multi-ID search and filter program for the website. Let's see, about your car…did Jim and Tim tell you about the self-operating robotic mode we installed a few weeks ago? No? Mybad. Anyway, it's back inside your garage. One last thing: both our moms nixed any missions for the next few weeks, and no computers for me till New Year's. Stink!" said Wade. "It's been an amazing year, hasn't it?"

"Sha! Thanks for everything, Wade. You're the best."

"I know. Merry Christmas, Kim."

Certain images came to her mind, such as Yori kissing Ron on the cheek and his complaining about why girls can't just say what they mean…and of Kim's Freudian double entendre, "you got me." And _I_ got _you_, Ron Stoppable. "Amazing" was _so_ the understatement. She could hardly wait for tomorrow.

* * *

Mr. Stoppable opened the door. "Come in, come in. Merry Christmas!" He shook their hands. "Good to see you, James. I see you brought your famous red velvet cake, Anne. Excellent! Ron threatened to boycott dinner without it. Jim and Tim, how was your first semester at Middleton High? And Kim! Here, let me take your coats." 

Down the stairs scooted Hannah, one bottom-bump step at a time, giggling, and her big brother scooting one step behind her with one long leg on either side of her. "Look who's here, Han," said Ron.

"Kimmy," Hannah squealed as she jumped into Kim's arms and hugged her neck. "See," Hannah said, pointing back at Ron, "Buddr fine." She gave Kim a wet, slobbery toddler kiss on her cheek. Mr. Stoppable directed everyone into the dining room where Mrs. Stoppable greeted everyone while she finished arranging dinner on the table.

Kim, momentarily alone with Ron, said, "Buddr better get off his rear." He stood up and gathered her into his arms. "I missed you so much, it hurts," she sighed. "How do you feel?"

"A lot better now. But my essential Ronness has been suffering from severe Kim Shine deficiency. You look badical, by the way." She wore a forest green v-neck cashmere sweater and a heather gray plaid skirt. "How's the ankle?"

"Well, the brace clashes with my toe socks. Otherwise, I should be back to mission speed in a week or so." Kim smelled the aromas from the dining room. "Mmm, I'm starved. Let's eat…and then we'll work on your Kim Shine deficiency," which prompted a loud "Booyah."

While Mrs. Stoppable served beef brisket, latkes (potato pancakes), fried artichokes and zucchini, cheese, and homemade applesauce, Mr. Possible explained the significance the traditional Hanukkah foods ("the oil used for cooking symbolizes the oil used in the menorah candle"). All of it was delicious. Jim and Tim wanted to know how the latkes would go with syrup and bacon. Mrs. Stoppable said she was out of bacon at the moment, but she let them try the latkes with syrup. Kim rolled her eyes: "Tweebs!"

After the table was cleared, Mr. Stoppable announced, "Before we eat Anne's legendary cake, I'd like to make a brief presentation." He handed a small gift to Anne. She unwrapped the box; inside was a crystal tree ornament shaped like a dreidel. The inscription read, _Merry Christmas to the Possible family. Shalom_. "The dreidel is a top, a Jewish toy used for a children's game of luck. This one represents our good fortune to count among our friends your beautiful family," said Mr. Stoppable. Anne wiped away a tear.

He handed a second gift to Kim, who unwrapped a small menorah, also made of crystal. "Of course, the Hanukkah menorah celebrates the miracle of the Temple candles at a time when the survival of our people was in grave doubt. When our son was lost, and…" He couldn't speak for a moment. "You found him. We owe you our profoundest gratitude, Kim. Merry Christmas." She felt a lump in her throat and wiped her nose on a napkin. "And finally, I have something else for you from a mutual friend. He said you might want to open it later, in private." He handed her a large shoebox.

* * *

After dessert, the parents dispersed to the kitchen and the younger kids and naked mole rat to the playroom. In Ron's loft, he and Kim finally had a chance to talk about the last couple of weeks. Less than two days had passed since they had emerged from the mountain, yet it seemed like eons ago. Kim described her confrontation with Dr. Director and her journey through the old mine. Ron explained how the plan to capture Gemini backfired when Will Du turned traitor. Ron took a deep breath. "Kim, I said some really nasty things to you. The past few weeks without you have been worse than Camp Wannaweep. When I was captured, do you know what really frightened me the most about that stupid machine? It was the thought that I'd never have a chance to tell you how sorry I was for treating you so badly. You were right all along, and I'm such an idiot…I'm sorry for hurting you. Forgive me?" 

"I did over a week ago, Ron. I'm the stupid one for not listening; you were trying to protect my honor and reputation. You were brave and brilliant—my hero. We're a team, always, and I deserted you. I thought I had lost you forever. I'm so sorry. Will you forgive me?" Kim asked.

"You betcha," said Ron, squeezing her in a gentle hug. "Did you really threaten Dr. Director?" he asked, a bit awed. "There's one thing I still don't get. If Wade's microchip implant thingy was destroyed when Agent Du hit me with his taser, then how…?"

"I don't know. Wade is still trying to figure it out. All he knows is that whatever signaled your location, it wasn't the sensor implant."

They were quiet for a moment, holding each other's hand. "So, what's in the box?" Ron asked.

"I almost forgot," said Kim. She unwrapped the box, lifted the lid…and gasped, "Oh!" She took out an envelope and read the enclosed card. _Dear Kim, with my friend Rev. Brent's approval, I wish to pass along the contents of this box to someone who I think will appreciate them as much as I have—and who may have her own children someday to gnaw on them_. (Ron saw Kim blush.) _I know issues like religion can be confusing and often a source of conflict for young couples. But here's something to consider from a biography I read recently: 'the highest form of love is intimacy that does not annihilate difference.' May that truth grow within you as your relationship with Ron deepens. Wishing you a Blessed Hanukkah, your friend, David Katz_.

She carefully removed the small wooden barn and the wooden blocks of a camel, donkey, cow, sheep, wise men, shepherds, a man and a young woman, and finally, a tiny baby in a manger. Ron picked up the last piece and said, "I've seen this before." He looked at the face of the baby and suddenly remembered his strange vision before Kim rescued him…and the broken microchip implant.

He stood up and stared outside his window. The rays of the setting afternoon sun painted the snow shades of coral and violet, the pine trees and bare branches of aspens silhouetted black across the horizon. He felt Kim's arms wrap around his waist.

"What are you thinking, Ron?" Kim asked.

"I…don't know. It's like my head is full of something, but I can't find the right words. Or the words would be all wrong, like they don't fit."

"Ineffable, you mean," said Kim.

"Uh, yeah, inef-um-something." Ron sighed.

"What's wrong?" She moved around to his front, her head against his shoulder.

"I don't have a Christmas present for you. The gift shop in Gemini's lair was closed."

Kim held him at arm's length and grinned. "Oh, I don't know about that, Santa boy. Look what arrived special delivery." She reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out the box Ron had asked Mr. Barkin to deliver to Kim. "Here, now you can give it to me properly."

He placed it back in her hand. She unwrapped a velvet jewelry box containing a gold necklace with a heart shaped locket. Inside the locket was a reprint of their prom picture and a small engraving, _KP & RS. BFs forever_. She handed the necklace to Ron, then flipped her hair forward and said, "Put it on, please and thank you." As he attached the clasp behind her neck, she admired the locket reflected in his dresser mirror.

"Merry…," Ron started to say.

"Wait!" Kim said. "You're not finished." She reached into her skirt pocket again, pulled out a piece of mistletoe, and held it above her head. "I want this one made to order."

"Ah…Merry Christmas, Kimberly Anne Possible." As the two lovers embrace, the trees in the distant field sing with the night wind, and the first star dances across the evening sky.

**THE END**


	8. Epilogue: Another Night Visit

**CHAPTER EIGHT**  
"**EPILOGUE—ANOTHER NIGHT VISIT"**

Six days later, in the early morning hours of New Year's Eve, Kim sensed someone in her room. "Yori!" Not again.

"Very good, Possible San. Your awareness has grown. I wish you a Happy New Year."

"Nice to see you, too. What's the sitch?"

"Master Sensei wishes to express how pleased he is that both you and Stoppable San have passed your tests."

"I'm sure Ron will be excited to know he won't have to repeat Barkin's science class, but your Sensei could have emailed his congratulations, you know."

"You are learning Stoppable San's style of humor, his feigned misunderstanding. Of course, you know that I speak of your tests of inner sight and strength of mind."

Of course, I know _now_, Kim thought.

Yori said, "Both of you were destined to face important trials. When Stoppable San battled the Fear machine, he greatly strengthened his mind and will. He accomplished in one week what would normally take many months of meditation at the Yamanouchi School. We do not have the luxury of time to train Stoppable San. Sensei foresees a great danger facing the entire earth soon; this danger troubles him, for it lies outside his vision. Stoppable San must be able to realize the full strength of his mystical monkey power if he is to defeat this enemy."

"And you can't tell Ron because…"

"Stoppable San must discover this on his own. As for you, Kim, you have passed through the darkness into the light. One must accept paradoxes and mysteries as guides toward enlightenment; you have progressed far along this path. It is important that you continue on your path if you are to fulfill your own destiny with Stoppable San."

"And that would be…? I know. I must discover my destiny with Stoppable San on my own. But aren't these, uh, messages a lot of trouble for you, traveling all the way from Japan?" Kim asked.

"Speaking with you, though most enjoyable, is not my primary purpose for visiting America. I am, you might say, a kind of guardian angel for Stoppable San's adopted sister, Hannah. When Sensei detects unusual disturbances in the life currents passing around Hannah, he sends me to watch and protect her and her adopted family, the Stoppables. I return to the Yamanouchi School tonight."

"So, what's the connection between you, Hannah, and Ron?" To Kim's surprise, Yori sat down on her bed, staring at something in her hand.

"As I have already told you, Stoppable San and little Hannah share similar kinds of mystical powers, but I cannot divulge the exact nature of Hannah's abilities, for they are still a partial mystery to me. This connection between them, their awareness of each other, will grow as Hannah gets older. As for Hannah and me, are you familiar with the story of the child Moses in the sacred writings read by Stoppable San? His mother hid him from great danger, and his sister found an adoptive family for him. I will say no more, except that Master Sensei believes that you, too, are part of Hannah's destiny, as she will be part of yours and Stoppable San's. Good night and Happy New Year, Kim Possible."

"Yori, wait." Kim turned on her nightstand lamp. Yori was gone. How _does_ she do that? Was Yori saying that she and Hannah were sisters? Or that she was Hannah's…? Kim saw her locket lying next to the indention where Yori had been moments ago. One thing she knew for sure, even if Yori was the harbinger of strange things to come, Kim felt she was ready for anything.


	9. Author Comments

**AUTHOR COMMENTS**

Nota Bene: All _Kim Possible_ characters are the property of Disney, Inc.

Dear Readers,

This story started with some discarded draft notes from my 2nd fanfic, "M Quest," including a variation of Dr. Director's scene in Chapter Three. The idea popped into my head one day for a holiday story…and voila! "A Light Carol" was born. By the way, there is an intended pun on the word, "Light."

There are many fine KP FanFiction stories that mention Kim's and especially Ron's beliefs with respect and sensitivity. "A Light Carol" delves a little deeper by showing their encounters with archetypal and transcendent stories—or "myths" in the proper sense of that word. I intentionally included some, but others worked themselves into _my_ story on their own, much to my surprise. For example, Kim's journey through the old mine is reminiscent of classical descents into the Underworld (Hades or Hell). There are others (I'll allow you the pleasure of discovering them), but the import of these images did not occur to me until after I had written them.

I balance the allowable conventions of KP fantasy with authenticity. For example, I compress and streamline time between events—after all, if the author can't distort the Space/Time continuum, who can? Otherwise, the story takes place during the fall semester of Kim and Ron's senior year, from late September through December. There are references galore to other KP episodes (especially "Graduation" in the epilogue), philosophy, psychology, history, traditions, and music. Here is a partial payment of my credit to others for the ideas they inspired:

· Psychiatrist Scott Peck's chapters on the relationship between spirituality and mythology in _Further Along the Road Less Traveled_ and on the psychology of evil in _People of the Lie_;

· Philosopher Virginia Held's essay, "The Grounds for Social Trust";

· Myers-Briggs (Personality) Type Indicator;

· Philosopher Abraham Heschel's discussion of spirituality in Judaism, especially in _Man Is Not Alone_;

· Numerous informative websites on Jewish cuisine, holidays, and history (Ron's warehouse surprise attack is loosely based on the Battle of Emmaus in 166 BCE);

· Other informative websites on carnivorous plants, cave disasters, ancient Japanese history, and martial arts;

· The former football coach at my high school who would occasionally run funky plays like the "Statue of Liberty";

· Peter David's fantasy story _Fall of Knight_ for the audacity of including an iconic religious leader as a fictional character;

· Scientist Barbara McClintock as quoted by biographer Evelyn Fox Keller as quoted by educator Parker Palmer as quoted by Rabbi Katz in his card he wrote to Kim; 

· For the first half of the closing line in chapter seven, an obscure, whimsical, yet beautiful love song and Christmas carol titled "Susan Belle" on a great, old Christmas album (1967), "The Johnny Mann Singers: We Wish You A Merry Christmas" (the singer complains because he's penniless and can't afford to buy his girl, Susan Belle, a Christmas gift: "Oh what shall I give to Susan Belle for Christmas…I'll give her a song of the wind in the pines…I'll give her my love forever"); Noel Regney and Gloria Shayne's 1962 song, "Do You Hear What I Hear," for the latter half of the closing line ("do you see what I see...a star, a star, dancing in the night"). The final sentence evokes the story's title.

And so, in the words of Flannery O'Connor, everything that rises must converge—the light of the Hanukkah candle, the light of the Christmas star, the "lightness" of a comedy (in the classic sense of a story with a happy ending)—bringing us back to the pun mentioned above. I hope you find the story thought provoking; however, my primary goal is to write something engaging and entertaining. Let me know what keeps you reading, and please point out the spots that drag the story to a halt. With a little help, maybe I'll get the hang of writing fiction someday. Enjoy! 

_**Wishing all KP Fiction Fans a Merry and Peaceful Holiday Season,**_

The Lady Rhetorica


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